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Re: 2009 Reds draft signings

12th rounder Josh Garton has signed...

Reason to root

... for outfielder Josh Garton to make it. The 12th-round pick, who signed with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, was in Guelph with his brother, John, when he was drafted on Wednesday. Sister Brittany, 19, was given special permission to take a cell phone into class.

"When her phone went off at school she screamed the news to the whole class," Garton said.

Brittany attends the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind in Brantford after losing her sight at seven months old. She hopes to get a seeing-eye dog soon.

Garton has his sister's name tattooed on his arm ... in braille.

Another reason

Done with his interview, the reporter says thanks and is about to hang up.

"Can I thank you for giving me all those good advertisements, you know, write-ups in your paper," Garton said.

Well, you did hit those 16 homers.

"That's a lie," Garton said.

A lie? You didn't hit 16?

"Naw, they stopped updating the website when the regular season ended," Garton said politely, "counting post- season, I hit 20."

Re: 2009 Reds draft signings

South Forsyth catcher Chase Fowler was chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the 16th round. Despite a commitment to attend the University of Southern Mississippi in the fall, the relatively high pick has caused the recent high school graduate to re-evaulate his future, according to his father, Tom Fowler. He had not made a decision at press time.

Brian Adams, recently graduated from South Forsyth, will pursue his plans to play football at the University of Kentucky, declining a 45th-round pick by Cincinnati.

Re: 2009 Reds draft signings

Grayson's current first baseman, sophomore David Stewart, grew up a Cardinals' fan in St. Louis but wound up as the 659th overall pick in the 22nd round by the rival Cincinnati Reds.

Stewart (6-5, 225) hit .326 for the Vikings in 2009 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs along with 41 runs and 47 hits (11 of them doubles). The University of Nebraska transfer, who has committed to Dallas Baptist, was a solid contact hitter, striking out only 33 times in 144 plate appearances.

"A lot of it is going to come down to money, because it's harder to negotiate when you're picked in the later rounds," Stewart said. "I have a really good feeling about Dallas Baptist and would be more than comfortable going there."

Stewart said he's 75 percent sure he will enter his third year of college and credits coach Dusty Hart for helping him keep his game at a high level.

Re: 2009 Reds draft signings

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

12th rounder Josh Garton has signed...

Reason to root

... for outfielder Josh Garton to make it. The 12th-round pick, who signed with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, was in Guelph with his brother, John, when he was drafted on Wednesday. Sister Brittany, 19, was given special permission to take a cell phone into class.

"When her phone went off at school she screamed the news to the whole class," Garton said.

Brittany attends the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind in Brantford after losing her sight at seven months old. She hopes to get a seeing-eye dog soon.

Garton has his sister's name tattooed on his arm ... in braille.

Another reason

Done with his interview, the reporter says thanks and is about to hang up.

"Can I thank you for giving me all those good advertisements, you know, write-ups in your paper," Garton said.

Well, you did hit those 16 homers.

"That's a lie," Garton said.

A lie? You didn't hit 16?

"Naw, they stopped updating the website when the regular season ended," Garton said politely, "counting post- season, I hit 20."

I really like this kid. I read another pre-draft article about him yesterday, and he seems to have a really good head on his shoulders. It sounds like he was going to get drafted by about 5 or 6 other teams, but the Reds had a scout go watch a private workout by Garton and jumped on the chance to grab him. I love these unheralded Canadian kids who seem to fly under the radar.

Re: 2009 Reds draft signings

Is it a sure thing that the Reds will use Jamie Walczak as a RHP? He has played CF for Mercyhurst for the past three years where he has amassed good stats. His average is in the .350 range, OPS over .900, power numbers have been steadily improving, and his stolen base percent has been around .80. He was used as a closer in his senior year, but he came in from CF to do it. I conjecture that it was because he had a cannon that was hard to catch up to in the late innings. He seems like a good all athlete. At 6-2, 190, with incipient power, I suspect he could begin in CF and later transition to a corner. Unless he throws over a 100, it seems to me that it would be wise to look at him first as an outfielder.

Re: 2009 Reds draft signings

Originally Posted by RED VAN HOT

Is it a sure thing that the Reds will use Jamie Walczak as a RHP?

When I was listening to the draft, clubs would say something like, "We want him to be listed as..." and then state a position or a pitcher and such. So my guess is that's how the Reds selected him. Of course, you can always change course (such as happened with Hoffman). I remember there was some question with Austin Kearns when he first was drafted that he could go either way, but we drafted him as an OF'er.

“In the same way that a baseball season never really begins, it never really ends either.” - Lonnie Wheeler, "Bleachers, A Summer in Wrigley Field"

Re: 2009 Reds draft signings

Earlier in the day, there was an indication a new player would be arriving shortly, and that may happen, but it isn’t certain.

Last week was Major League Baseball’s amateur draft, and the Reds have been busy signing draftees ever since. One of them, sixth-round pick Mark Serrano of Oral Roberts University, would be assigned to the Dragons, an e-mail from the Reds informed.

“He’s one guy we’re considering sending there,” said Reds Director of Development Terry Reynolds. “But he’ll do a minicamp in Billings, Mont., first. There are 3-4 pitchers we would consider sending to Dayton, but that decision hasn’t been made yet.”

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